Life, 1928-03-08 · page 32 of 43
Life — March 8, 1928 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects brief humorous items and cartoons mocking contemporary absurdities. Key sections include: **Top cartoon**: A Scandinavian publication's joke about ancestors begging for money—a satirical dig at genealogy claims. **"A Kiddie-Car in Cathay"**: Mocks pidgin English through a Chinese boy's malapropism about flies on flypaper—typical early 20th-century ethnic humor reflecting Western stereotypes of Asian speech patterns. **"English as She Is Wrote"**: Ridicules Indian "Babu" English in a petition letter, again using non-native English as comedy fodder. **Other items**: Various one-liners about theatrical fashion, shorter men's clothing, Ford Model A automobiles, and Roosevelt's Bible knowledge versus college education. **The bottom illustration "The Tinker's Dam"**: Shows chaotic domestic life—its exact meaning unclear from the image alone. The page's humor relies heavily on ethnic caricature and linguistic mockery—attitudes considered deeply offensive today but standard in 1920s-era satire magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Wio's TIS WITH TIT DONKEY'S HE SOME PITARAOIE OR DEITY, 18N'T IT) “MORE LIKELY A POLITICAL PERSON —Le Monde Colonial (Paris). Ove position on amateur theatricals is, in full, as follows: We won't go. —Ohio State Journal. Roman Matron: my pear, 11's piscRace- YUL! THE YOUNG MEN’S DRESSES ARE GET- TING SHORTER AND SHORTER EVERY YEAR, —London Opinion, —Séndagsnisse-Strie (Stockholm). A Kiddie-Car in Cathay Lirrix Fu Chee was a diminutive specimen of Chinese boy in Hankow, who possessed a more infinitesimal specimen as brother, and in whose custody the tiny one was at times left. Thus, one day, did he call out: SGracious and illustrious mother, wouldst thou not please speak to my desirable brother, the infant Chee? He hath seated himself on the American fly paper and all the flies wait in vain to get thereon !"—Los Angeles Times. English as She Is Wrote A reaper sends me an amusing Babu letter which was, he thinks, the work of a professional petition-writer. The writer says: “Having heard of your almighty mercy and loving tender- ness to us worms, I tell you of my cir- cumstances. By the grace of God and your lordship I have seven children, all bes and sucklings. Besides this abom- inable litter I have many male and female relations. What have I done that I should be blessed with such cursed trials?...I cannot read or write, and have only the suckle qualifications s male relations and femini - There- fore call us all that we your love and gentleness. “Your faithful worm and beast, “Nota Law “Despicable brute and unwilling father of babes.” —London Morning Post. Il Duce (Cloaks and Suits) From Women's Wear—"Sam Samuels when in the ready-to-wear line was known for his charities. No man or woman ever walked out of his showroom empty handed, provided they were ready to pay his price and meet his terms.” —New Yorker. “The detective nodded. to be great these days.’ * “Ruth and I used I must lock ber up one of —From a Norvelette, Frost sheer force of habit, presumably. —Humorist (London). Longevity I'xt glad you lived to see the day When Ford would make a Model A; I hope that you alive will be When he re Z ses Model —Will Henry,in Detroit News. And That, as They Say, Is That Turoporr Roose - veir said a thorough knowledge of the Bible was worth more than a college education, A thorough knowledge of anything is worth more than a college education. —Yale Record. Fished Stories Fist with hands have been discovered in the South Seas. These, it is believed, were developed telling other fish how big the fellow was they got away from.—New York Evening Post. THE TINKER’S DAMN. —Toronto Goblin. comicbooks.com Wet